The Land of Twilight
by Madoka2
Summary: Before The World, Tsukasa was an ordinary high school student. An overheard conversation leads to a new life away from the real world.


"Stand! Bow!"

She gathered up her books and placed them into her bag. All around her, students chattered and giggled, happy to be free of school for the day. She was different, though. School was a safe routine, her sanctuary from life at home. 

Even there, she chose to remain alone, to separate herself from her classmates, because getting close to a person ran the risk of being hurt by them. _It's safer to be alone, she told herself. As she pushed the unhappy thoughts away, she heard a student behind her say, "You can be anything you want in The World."_

She paused, listening. A girl responded to the voice, "I've heard of The World… But isn't it boring? There's not a story or path for you to follow, so you just wander around?"

"You'd be surprised," the boy replied. "You can play any class, any gender, whatever you choose. You can play how you want, whether alone or in groups, but you're really on your own. No one can tell you what to do with the time you spend in The World."

The students had started to move away, but her interest had been caught. She turned abruptly and asked, "How do you get there?" The question escaped her lips before she realized she had asked it.

They looked at her, surprised. She silently cursed herself for speaking and was about to turn away when the boy said, "Haven't you heard of The World?"

She shook her head.

"You can get it at any game store," he said after a moment. The girl student elbowed him in the side, and he said quickly, "See you around." 

As they left the classroom, she was already caught up in her own thoughts. So it was a game, then. Just a game... but a place where no one could tell you what to do, where you were free to do what you want… her father would never approve.

She clutched her bag to her chest, and began the walk home. As she walked, she couldn't stop thinking about it. She had some money set aside, and she was the only one who used the computer at home. She could tell her father it was just a game and he'd never know. In fact, he would probably be glad that it would keep her out of his sight.

With that thought, she looked up, and realized she had walked straight to the closest software store. She half-smiled to herself. She took a deep breath, and went in.

***

She looked again at the game manual. The World was installed and all that was left was to begin the game. She glanced at the headset. It would cover her eyes but she would still be able to hear if she needed to. She took a deep breath and placed the headset over her eyes. 

She picked up the controller, and chose "Log In." 

"Character name?" the game prompted.

She paused a moment, and then entered, "T s u k a s a."

She escaped into The World.

***

She blinked. Before her, a portal hummed as it spun in place. "Chaos Gate," she said to herself. 

She looked down at the new self she had created. She wanted to be everything she was not in the real world, so she had chosen a male character. 

Tsukasa smiled then, a real smile. He had found a place full of freedom and didn't have the first clue what to do with it all. He was vaguely aware of voices and movement of the other players around him, but it was the surroundings that had really caught his eye. Colorful and bright, the city sparkled in the setting sun.

He turned away from the gate and found himself suddenly face-to-face with a barbarian. He grinned down at Tsukasa and said, "Newbie, huh? You can always tell, because they look so lost. Need some help? It will cost you." The look in the barbarian's face was anything but helpful.

"No, I'm fine," Tsukasa said quietly.

"Maybe you don't understand," the barbarian said, taking another step closer. "If you give me your money, I'll help you by letting you by my friend. You sure don't want to be my enemy." The barbarian's hand purposely strayed to the sword at his side.

Tsukasa looked at his feet and tightened his grip on his staff, and then he remembered. Why be afraid? This was a place far from home, far from school, far from anyone who knew him. He looked the barbarian in the eye and said loudly, "Leave me alone. You can't do anything to me."

The barbarian put his hands up and backed away. "Sorry, man," he said. "I thought you were new here and I was just trying to get some cash. No harm meant."

Tsukasa walked past him, with his head up high. He tried not to let the exhilaration show on his face. He had stood up for himself for the first time ever in his life. 

Tsukasa stopped and looked again at the city, now bathed in the last few rays of twilight. _So this is The World_, he thought. _My world._


End file.
